Domain Name Trademark Certification

Domain Name Trademark Certification Fraud: How It Works

We received this tip from a reader who almost fell for the Domain Name Trademark Certification scam. It happened when somebody offered to purchase his website and domain name. How does the scam work?

Let's say put a domain name up for sale, on a speciality website such as Sedo. A couple of days after, somebody contacts you claiming to be a domain broker. He is looking to buy the domain name on behalf of an investor that wants it for a new business. You're happy.

He offers more than your asking price and justifies this by saying he gets a commission. He is not interested in a lower price because the commission would also be small. It makes sense and that's good news, right?

Say you agree. In this case, he requires that you have the domain certified to verify that you are the current owner. Also, he wants to make sure that there are no trademark issues so he suggests to get an independent market valuation.

While it is possible to get domain certification from platforms like GoDaddy, the agent tells you that the only one that offers trademark verification is Domain Tools Digital Certification, at http://services.digital-certificates.net/default.htm.

The website is bogus and claims to have great partners such as BBB and Escrow.com. Of course, once you pay the 99 dollars for the trademark verification, their 'investor' withdraws the offer. Burnt.

Fake Investor Offers To Buy Your Website But Is Scared By The Domain Name Trademark Infringement

Here is the content of the initial email coming from the fake agent:

"My client offers a sum in $10,000-$30,000 range. The exact figure will depend on the appraisal results (see below). Before we go any further we need only one thing from you:

My client is a professional investor and he buys certified domains only. If your domain has been certified, please email me the certificate and we will proceed with the sale. If you don't have a certificate it's not a problem. I may send you a link where you can obtain it. Please don't worry. It takes 1-2 minutes to order it. The results will be sent to you within 24 hours. Then you send me the certificate via email and we'll proceed with the sale.

The certification includes the following:

1. Independent valuation of the market place. It will show your domain name is not overpriced. On the other hand if the valuation comes higher we will increase the price accordingly.

3. Verification of the owner. It proves you are a legitimate owner and your domain has no any obligations and restrictions. I'm sure that you are legitimate owner so it will be only a formality.

As a broker I'm very interested in a good valuation part of this certificate because my client pays me a commission (10-15% of the sale price) on every domain purchase. So I am not interested in a low price too. You can read about the certificate agency:

The scammer continues to explain what you should do step by step, to make sure you're falling for the trick. He continues:

"The process is very easy:

1. Go to the certificate agency site and order a certificate. Just submit your domains and let them know you have a buyer with $xx,xxxx offer and need a valuation near this number. After several hours you will get the results. If the price in your certificate comes higher, we will increase our offer accordingly.

2. Then send these results via email and we'll proceed with the deal.

If you are new to the certification process, I can help you with the step by step instructions."

There are a couple of things that don't look right in this message. One is the tone used in the second paragraph. The phrase "The results will be sent to you in 24 hours" sounds like a promise, as it would be coming from the owner. The second one is the fact that the Google Answers link provided has a ".net" domain name ending, not ".com", like all the other legitimate postings.

Domain Name Trademark Certification Scam: How To Avoid

Be aware of the Domain Name Trademark Certification approach especially if you are not in the domain name industry. Trust only legitimate companies. Research, read forums, look for genuine online feedback. Many companies claim to be the only ones to service you in one particular area.

In the case above, Escrow.com confirmed that Domain Tools Digital Certification is NOT their partner.

Domain Name Trademark Certification Scam: How To Report

Make your family and friends aware of this scam by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:

If you want to be the first to find out the most notorious scams every week, feel free to subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter here. You'll receive periodical emails and we promise not to spam. Last but not least, use the Comments section below to expose other scammers.

Our commission is only 6 %. The commission is divided between you (3%) and the buyer (3%) and paid after you get the money.

The buyer offers 42 000 000 Korean WON (about $38000 usd).

The payment to you will be made via escrow service to protect both parties during the transaction. You will get 50% before the domain transfer and 50% after.

To proceed with the sale, the bank of the buyer requires a certificate of compliance with Korean law and trademarks because he will run his startup in South Korea. Please don't worry. If you don't have it you can order it online. I will help you with instructions and will not leave you along with this.
- Certification of compliance with Korean law and trademarks
- The certificate must be up to date (issued during last 30 days)
- Copy of the certificate in Korean.
- The certification agency must be authorized by the buyer and his bank.

We asked him if GoDaddy or Sedo appraisal certificates will work for him. Now we are awaiting for his answer.

===================================
I talked to the buyer. GoDaddy and Sedo certificates don't meet the requirements (no copy in Korean and no Korean law compliance verification). His bank accept certificates from International subsidiary of a well known holding GMO Cloud - DigiRock Ltd. https://digirock.org They do the law compliance certificates and support English/Korean copies in PDF format. Go to this site and click Certification. Then submit your domain and wait for payment instructions.
If they approve your request they will send payment instructions via email. The certificates will be sent to your email in PDF. Send them to me as attachments and we will proceed with the sale.
====================================================
One of my replies
Thank you. I've visit DigiRock Ltd @ https://digirock.org I however have a problem with there payment methods which just BTC or ETH. (please find attached file) if it not too much to ask, can you please make the payment of $269 to this Bitcoin address 175RRpfQm7zdhZjfTR4SZ1FURUB66mcptk or ETH address 0xfCF610b904f3EA16f3c11808593c55147c3Ad1E6 whichever that is convenience for you and have it deducted? I aso ask for other payment method and they replied non other than BTC or ETH. Please see attached.

Best regards.
=============================================
His reply
According to our rules domain owners pay for it.

The certification agency provides full refund if domain is not sold so it's safe for you to pay for it.

There is no other way to proceed further.

5th, November 2018

Posted By: Vivek Jain

First email by these fraudsters

----------

Hello!

I represent a buyer who wants to purchase fliproad.com for his new project.

One of our partners in Japan wants to buy your domain but he does not speak English and asked for my help to contcat you.

If you are still interested in selling please let me know.

Do you have a bitcoin wallet?

Sincerely yours,

Areum Seung-woo

Vice President

EtherZero Ltd.

Seoul

Korea

-------------

Second email

-----------

If you have Telegram you may contact our English speaking representative in Europe - Robert at https://t.me/RobertGroupHelp

He may also help you to finish the sale.
My commission is only 5 %. The commission is divided between you and the buyer and paid after you get the money.

The buyer offers 12 BTC. He may also pay in Yen (Japanese currency) if you can accept it. If it's ok let's proceed.

You will be paid via Paypal, wire transfer, Western Union or Bitcoins/Ethereum.

Do you have a certificate in English and Japanese? It's required by the buyer and his escrow service. They must be sure your domain has no restrictions or problems with law and trademarks in Japan. He won't proceed without it.

The certificate must include the following to be accepted by my buyer:
- Ownership verification (the certification agency must confirm you are a legal owner).
- Trademark infringement verification (the buyer does not want to lose the domain after purchase because it has problems with trademarks).
- The domain must not be pledged or sold to third parties (verification of restrictions).
- The certificate must be up to date (issued during last 30 days)
- Copy of the certificate in Japanese (required by the buyer because he does not speak English).
- The certification agency must be authorized by my buyer and the escrow.

My buyer is a professional investor and he won't be able to send you the payment without this certificate. There is no other way for you and us to finish the sale. The payment to you will be made via escrow service to protect both parties during the transaction.
You can read about certification agency that is accepted by the escrow and supports a copy in Japanese at Google Answers: http://questions.google-answers.info/threadview/id/907189317.htm The buyer sent me this link. Domain Broker is a nick name of his former broker who worked with my buyer in the past.

The process is very easy (you can do everything online in several minutes):

1. Go to the certificate agency site accepted by my client and order the certificate. The service recommended at Google Answers is accepted by the escrow and they support Japanese and English languages.

2. After they approve your request please make the payment. The certificate will be sent to your email within several hours. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process the same day.

Our company also takes care about you as a seller. There is no risk for you to lose the money after ordering the certificate even if something goes wrong. The recommended certification agency won't send you the payment instructions if your domain has some legal problems.

They also provide full money back guarantee if you don't sell your domain within 15 days.

If you are new to the certification process or unsure which certification agency to use, I can help you with the step by step instructions how to order a proper certificate online.

----------------------

Hopefully this will help others to avoid the scam.

12th, June 2018

Posted By: Mel Dime

Hi, the correspondence with the swindler:
Hello!

I represent a buyer who wants to purchase cryptobyte.net for his new project.

One of our partners in Japan wants to buy your domain but he does not speak English and asked for my help to contcat you.

If you are still interested in selling please let me know.

Do you have a bitcoin wallet?

Sincerely yours,

Areum Seung-woo

Vice President

EtherZero Ltd.
Seoul
Korea
______________
If you have Telegram you may contact our English speaking representative Robert at https://t.me/RobertDomainHelp

He may also help you to finish the sale.

My commission is only 5 %. The commission is divided between you and the buyer and paid after you get the money.

The buyer offers 12 BTC. He may also pay in Yen (Japanese currency) if you can accept it. If it's ok let's proceed. You will be paid via Paypal, wire transfer, Western Union or Bitcoins/Ethereum.

Do you have a certificate in English and Japanese? It's required by the buyer and his escrow service. They must be sure your domain has no restrictions or problems with law and trademarks in Japan. He won't proceed without it.

The certificate must include the following to be accepted by my buyer:
- Trademark infringement verification (the buyer does not want to lose the domain after purchase because it has problems with trademarks).
- The domain must not be pledged or sold to third parties (verification of restrictions).
- The certificate must be up to date (issued during last 30 days)
- Copy of the certificate in Japanese (required by the buyer because he does not speak English).
- The certification agency must be authorized by my buyer and the escrow.

My buyer is a professional investor and he won't be able to send you the payment without this certificate. There is no other way for you and us to finish the sale. The payment to you will be made via escrow service to protect both parties during the transaction.
You can read about certification agency that is accepted by the escrow and supports a copy in Japanese at Google Answers: http://questions.google-answers.info/threadview/id/406189315.htm The buyer sent me this link. Domain Broker is a nick name of his former broker who worked with my buyer in the past.

The process is very easy (you can do everything online in several minutes):

1. Go to the certificate agency site accepted by my client and order the certificate. The service recommended at Google Answers is accepted by the escrow and they support Japanese and English languages.

2. After they approve your request please make the payment. The certificate will be sent to your email within several hours. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process the same day.

Our company also takes care about you as a seller. There is no risk for you to lose the money after ordering the certificate even if something goes wrong. The recommended certification agency won't send you the payment instructions if your domain has some legal problems.
They also provide full money back guarantee if you don't sell your domain within 15 days.

If you are new to the certification process or unsure which certification agency to use, I can help you with the step by step instructions how to order a proper certificate online.

26th, May 2018

Posted By: Med

Hello!

It seems that we are all in the same boat! Though, I got the same email but with way more interesting price (12BTC) for one domain! Luckily I didn't become blind and take action by looking at this huge offer, that's why I did a search and here I am finding that this is just a scam. Thanks Scam Detector for writing this article it's very helpful.

Anyway, here is the email content I got.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello!

I represent a large Japanese hosting company (part of GMO Holding). Our VIP buyer from Tokyo wants to purchase altawhitesystem.com for his new project.

If you are still interested in selling please let me know.

Do you have a bitcoin wallet?

Sincerely yours,

Arumi Nagashima

Vice President

Wadax Hosting LLC.

Tokyo

Japan

www.wadax.ne.jp
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And this a second email after replying to him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have Telegram you may contact our English speaking representative in Europe - Robert at https://t.me/RobertGroupHelp
He may also help you to finish the sale.
My commission is only 5 %. The commission is divided between you and the buyer and paid after you get the money.
The buyer offers 12 BTC. He may also pay in Yen (Japanese currency) if you can accept it. If it's ok let's proceed.
You will be paid via Paypal, wire transfer, Western Union or Bitcoins/Ethereum.

Do you have a certificate in English and Japanese? It's required by the buyer and his escrow service. They must be sure your domain has no restrictions or problems with law and trademarks in Japan. He won't proceed without it.

The certificate must include the following to be accepted by my buyer:
- Ownership verification (the certification agency must confirm you are a legal owner).
- Trademark infringement verification (the buyer does not want to lose the domain after purchase because it has problems with trademarks).
- The domain must not be pledged or sold to third parties (verification of restrictions).
- The certificate must be up to date (issued during last 30 days)
- Copy of the certificate in Japanese (required by the buyer because he does not speak English).
- The certification agency must be authorized by my buyer and the escrow.

My buyer is a professional investor and he won't be able to send you the payment without this certificate. There is no other way for you and us to finish the sale. The payment to you will be made via escrow service to protect both parties during the transaction.
You can read about certification agency that is accepted by the escrow and supports a copy in Japanese at Google Answers: http://questions.google-answers.info/threadview/id/907189317.htm The buyer sent me this link. Domain Broker is a nick name of his former broker who worked with my buyer in the past.
The process is very easy (you can do everything online in several minutes):

1. Go to the certificate agency site accepted by my client and order the certificate. The service recommended at Google Answers is accepted by the escrow and they support Japanese and English languages.

2. After they approve your request please make the payment. The certificate will be sent to your email within several hours. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process the same day.

Our company also takes care about you as a seller. There is no risk for you to lose the money after ordering the certificate even if something goes wrong. The recommended certification agency won't send you the payment instructions if your domain has some legal problems.

They also provide full money back guarantee if you don't sell your domain within 15 days.

If you are new to the certification process or unsure which certification agency to use, I can help you with the step by step instructions how to order a proper certificate online.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aaaaaaaaaaaaand back to work again after this exciting scam offer, hoping someone at the end purchases the domain with safety and without games.
Be safe and don’t take action right away, always search or ask for help. Peace out!

29th, April 2018

Posted By: Cane

A new scam from South Korea

Hello!

I represent a buyer from Seoul who wants to purchase for a new online project.

I've found your address via WHO IS.

My client is interested in purchasing your domain. If it's still for sale please get back to me.

He offers a good price. If it's not enough please let me know.

I'm working with many investors in Japan. If you have other names please email me the list.

Best regards,

Jeong Kyong Nam

Name Broker

P H P S Korea Hosting Inc.

Seoul

Korea

Phone: 82217823531

Hello,

My buyer is still interested.

My buyer is interested in such names because he believes they will cost much more in 2018 - 2019.

The buyer offers $75,000. If it's not enough please let me know and we will negotiate.

He will pay you money via Authorize Net (First German) Escrow. They support buyers from Asia and it's important for my buyer. He can only pay in WON (Korean currency) and they will convert them into USD or EUROS to send you the payment. You will be paid by wire, Paypal or bitcoins.
Do you have a certificate? It's required by the buyer's bank.

The certificate must include the following to be accepted by my buyer:
- Ownership verification (the certification agency must confirm you are a legal owner).
- Legal verification (proves the domain has no problems with trademarks or other problems with the law in Korea).
- Restriction verification (the domain must not be pledged or sold to third parties).
- The certificate must be up to date (issued during last 30 days)
- Copy of the certificate in Korean (required by the buyer's bank).
- The certification agency must be authorized by my buyer and his bank.

My buyer is a professional investor and he won't be able to send you the payment without this certificate. There is no other way for you and us to finish the sale. The payment to you will be made via escrow service to protect both parties during the transaction.

You can read about certification agency that is accepted by his bank and supports a copy in Korean at https://goo.gl/8YmfZq (I've made short form of the long Google Answers link. “Domain Broker” is my nickname).

The process is very easy (you can do everything online in several minutes):

1. Go to the certificate agency site accepted by my client and order the certificate. The service recommended at Google Answers is accepted by the buyer's bank (they support Korean and English languages).

2. After they approve your request please make the payment. The certificate will be sent to your email within several hours. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process the same day.

I represent a buyer from Japan who wants to buy (----------).com for a new web project.

I've found your address via WHO IS.

My client is interested in purchasing your domain. If it's still for sale please get back to me.

He offers a good price. If it's not enough please let me know.

If you have other names please email me the list.

Best regards,

Narumi Yoshida

Domain Broker

X Hosting Solutions Japan

Tokyo

Japan

Phone: + 81269817435

3rd, February 2018

Posted By: Andrew

I received the below scam email from a scumbag.

------------------
From: web@cpi-ad-jp.info
11 Jan 2018

Hello!

I represent a buyer from Japan who wants to buy ---.com for a new web project.

I've found your address via WHO IS.

My client is interested in purchasing your domain. If it's still for sale please get back to me.

He offers a good price. If it's not enough please let me know.

If you have other names please email me the list.

Best regards,

Tamiko Mizutani

Domain Broker

C P I Hosting Solutions Japan

Tokyo

Japan

Phone: + 81267817435

12th, January 2018

Posted By: Buddhaghosh Gaikwad

frist i would like to thanks http://www.scam-detector.com for posting important information ...
same mail i got everything are same just price offer & broker county changed
i would like to post his email content here ...

Be careful guys form "Domain Name Trademark Certification"

Mail content wich i got

"Commission of our company is only 5%. The commission is divided between you and the buyer (2.5% / 2.5%) and paid after you get the money.

The buyer offers $41,400. If it's not enough please let me know and we will negotiate.

He will pay you money via Authorize Net (First German) Escrow. They support buyers from Asia and it's important for my buyer. He can only pay in WON (Korean currency) and they will convert them into USD or EUROS to send you the payment. You will be paid by wire, Paypal or bitcoins.
Do you have a certificate? It's required by the buyer's bank.

The certificate must include the following to be accepted by my buyer:
- Ownership verification (the certification agency must confirm you are a legal owner).
- Legal verification (proves the domain has no problems with trademarks or other problems with the law in Korea).
- Restriction verification (the domain must not be pledged or sold to third parties).
- The certificate must be up to date (issued during last 30 days)
- Copy of the certificate in Korean (required by the buyer's bank).
- The certification agency must be authorized by my buyer and his bank.

My buyer is a professional investor and he won't be able to send you the payment without this certificate. There is no other way for you and us to finish the sale. The payment to you will be made via escrow service to protect both parties during the transaction.

You can read about certification agency that is accepted by his bank and supports a copy in Korean at https://goo.gl/vM283q (I've made short form of the long Google Answers link. “Domain Broker” is my nickname).

The process is very easy (you can do everything online in several minutes):

1. Go to the certificate agency site accepted by my client and order the certificate. The service recommended at Google Answers is accepted by the buyer's bank (they support Korean and English languages).

2. After they approve your request please make the payment. The certificate will be sent to your email within several hours. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process the same day.

Our company also takes care about you as a seller. There is no risk for you to lose the money after ordering the certificate even if something goes wrong. The recommended certification agency won't send you the payment instructions if your domain has some legal problems.

They also provide full money back guarantee if you don't sell your domain within 15 days.

If you are new to the certification process or unsure which certification agency to use, I can help you with the step by step instructions how to order a proper certificate online."

15th, December 2017

Posted By: Jens Haeffe

Everybody, Please be careful about the e-mail who will want to direct you to the following address: www.authorize-international.net

Similar design website which is seen on https://domaingang.com/domain-crime/domain-appraisal-certificate-scam-with-a-new-twist/

Please don't get cheated!

www.authorize-international.net is a scam!

Kind regards

11th, December 2017

Posted By: Marc P.

I’m glad that these forums exist!!! I IMMEDIATELY searched for a scam when I received the following follow up email to a domain purchase request:

Commission of our company is only 6%. The commission is divided between you and the buyer. It's paid after you get the money.
The buyer offers $250,000 for all four names. If it's not enough please let me know and we will negotiate.

He will send the funds via Authorize Int Escrow. He can only pay in YEN and they accept this currency and covert it into USD or EUROS.

Do you have a certificate? It's required by the buyer's bank.

The certificate must include the following to be accepted by my buyer:
- Ownership verification (the certification agency must confirm you are a legal owner).
- Legal verification (proves the domain has no problems with trademarks or other problems with the law in Japan).
- Restriction verification (the domain must not be pledged or sold to third parties).
- The certificate must be up to date (issued during last 30 days)
- Copy of the certificate in Japanese (required by the buyer's bank).
- The certification agency must be authorized by my buyer and his bank.

My buyer is a professional investor and he won't be able to send you the payment without this certificate. There is no other way for you and us to finish the sale. The payment to you will be made via escrow service to protect both parties during the transaction.

You can read about certification agency that is accepted by his bank and supports a copy in Japanese at Google Answers: https://goo.gl/vVEJHT (I've made short form of the long Google Answers link. “Domain Broker” is my nickname).

The process is very easy (you can do everything online in several minutes):

1. Go to the certificate agency site accepted by my client and order the certificate. The service recommended at Google Answers is accepted by the buyer's bank (they support Japanese and English languages).

2. After they approve your request please make the payment. The certificate will be sent to your email within several hours. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process the same day.

Our company also takes care about you as a seller. There is no risk for you to lose the money after ordering the certificate even if something goes wrong. The recommended certification agency won't send you the payment instructions if your domain has some legal problems.

They also provide full money back guarantee if you don't sell your domain within 15 days.

If you are new to the certification process or unsure which certification agency to use, I can help you with the step by step instructions how to order a proper certificate online.

Original email below:

Hello!

I represent a buyer from Tokyo who wants to purchase XXXXXXXXXXXXX for a new web project.

I've found your address via WHO IS.

My client is interested in purchasing your domain. If it's still for sale please get back to me.

He offers a good price. If it's not enough please let me know.

I'm working with many investors in Japan. If you have other names please email me the list.

Best regards,

Kenta Fujimoto

Domain Broker

Heteml Hosting Inc.

Tokyo

Japan

Phone: 816776474027

heteml.jp

11th, December 2017

Posted By: NoIdiotHere

Commission of our company is only 5%. The commission is divided between you and the buyer as 50%/50% and paid after you get the money.
The buyer offers $35,000. If it's not enough please let me know and we will negotiate.

He will pay you money via Authorize Net (First German) Escrow. They support buyers from Asia and it's important for my buyer. He can only pay in YEN (JPY) and they will convert them into USD or EUROS to send you the payment. The escrow supports many payment methods and you will be able to receive your money easily.

Do you have a certificate? It's required by the buyer's bank.

The certificate must include the following to be accepted by my buyer:
- Ownership verification (the certification agency must confirm you are a legal owner).
- Legal verification (proves the domain has no problems with trademarks or other problems with the law in Japan).
- Restriction verification (the domain must not be pledged or sold to third parties).
- The certificate must be up to date (issued during last 30 days)
- Copy of the certificate in Japanese (required by the buyer's bank).
- The certification agency must be authorized by my buyer and his bank.

My buyer is a professional investor and he won't be able to send you the payment without this certificate. There is no other way for you and us to finish the sale. The payment to you will be made via escrow service to protect both parties during the transaction.

You can read about certification agency that is accepted by his bank and supports a copy in Japanese at Google Answers: http://goo.gl/VCcma3 (I've made short form of the long Google Answers link. “Domain Broker” is my nickname).

The process is very easy (you can do everything online in several minutes):

1. Go to the certificate agency site accepted by my client and order the certificate. The service recommended at Google Answers is accepted by the buyer's bank (they support Japanese and English languages).

2. After they approve your request please make the payment. The certificate will be sent to your email within several hours. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process the same day.

Our company also takes care about you as a seller. There is no risk for you to lose the money after ordering the certificate even if something goes wrong. The recommended certification agency won't send you the payment instructions if your domain has some legal problems.

They also provide full money back guarantee if you don't sell your domain within 15 days.

If you are new to the certification process or unsure which certification agency to use, I can help you with the step by step instructions how to order a proper certificate online.

3rd, December 2017

Posted By: Max

And again, but not with us ;)
man money attracts to much..

Commission of our company is only 5%. The commission is divided between you and the buyer as 50%/50% and paid after you get the money.

The buyer offers $40,000. If it's not enough please let me know and we will negotiate.

He will pay you money via Authorize Net (First German) Escrow. They support buyers from Asia and it's important for my buyer. He can only pay in YEN (JPY) and they will convert them into USD or EUROS to send you the payment. The escrow supports many payment methods and you will be able to receive your money easily.

Do you have a certificate? It's required by the buyer's bank.

The certificate must include the following to be accepted by my buyer:
- Ownership verification (the certification agency must confirm you are a legal owner).
- Legal verification (proves the domain has no problems with trademarks or other problems with the law in Japan).
- Restriction verification (the domain must not be pledged or sold to third parties).
- The certificate must be up to date (issued during last 30 days)
- Copy of the certificate in Japanese (required by the buyer's bank).
- The certification agency must be authorized by my buyer and his bank.

My buyer is a professional investor and he won't be able to send you the payment without this certificate. There is no other way for you and us to finish the sale. The payment to you will be made via escrow service to protect both parties during the transaction.

You can read about certification agency that is accepted by his bank and supports a copy in Japanese at Google Answers: http://tinyurl.com/y73xcy5b (I've made short form of the long Google Answers link. “Domain Broker” is my nickname).

The process is very easy (you can do everything online in several minutes):

1. Go to the certificate agency site accepted by my client and order the certificate. The service recommended at Google Answers is accepted by the buyer's bank (they support Japanese and English languages).

2. After they approve your request please make the payment. The certificate will be sent to your email within several hours. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process the same day.

Our company also takes care about you as a seller. There is no risk for you to lose the money after ordering the certificate even if something goes wrong. The recommended certification agency won't send you the payment instructions if your domain has some legal problems.

They also provide full money back guarantee if you don't sell your domain vie their escrow service within 15 days.

If you are new to the certification process or unsure which certification agency to use, I can help you with the step by step instructions how to order a proper certificate online.

27th, November 2017

Posted By: Jocelyn

Thank you so much for this post. I almost fell into the same trap. I just received the email today. Good thing I found an answer here before purchasing the certification.
Here is how the email goes:
Commission of our company is only 5%. The commission is divided between you and the buyer as 50%/50% and paid after you get the money.

The buyer offers $35,000. If it's not enough please let me know and we will negotiate.

He will pay you money via Authorize Net (First German) Escrow. They support buyers from Asia and it's important for my buyer. He can only pay in YEN (JPY) and they will convert them into USD or EUROS to send you the payment. The escrow supports many payment methods and you will be able to receive your money easily.

Do you have a certificate? It's required by the buyer's bank.

The certificate must include the following to be accepted by my buyer:
- Ownership verification (the certification agency must confirm you are a legal owner).
- Legal verification (proves the domain has no problems with trademarks or other problems with the law in Japan).
- Restriction verification (the domain must not be pledged or sold to third parties).
- The certificate must be up to date (issued during last 30 days)
- Copy of the certificate in Japanese (required by the buyer's bank).
- The certification agency must be authorized by my buyer and his bank.

My buyer is a professional investor and he won't be able to send you the payment without this certificate. There is no other way for you and us to finish the sale. The payment to you will be made via escrow service to protect both parties during the transaction.

You can read about certification agency that is accepted by his bank and supports a copy in Japanese at Google Answers: http://tinyurl.com/y9jl6ft4 (I've made short form of the long Google Answers link. “Domain Broker” is my nickname).

The process is very easy (you can do everything online in several minutes):

1. Go to the certificate agency site accepted by my client and order the certificate. The service recommended at Google Answers is accepted by the buyer's bank (they support Japanese and English languages).

2. After they approve your request please make the payment. The certificate will be sent to your email within several hours. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process the same day.

Our company also takes care about you as a seller. There is no risk for you to lose the money after ordering the certificate even if something goes wrong. The recommended certification agency won't send you the payment instructions if your domain has some legal problems.

They also provide full money back guarantee if you don't sell your domain vie their escrow service within 15 days.

If you are new to the certification process or unsure which certification agency to use, I can help you with the step by step instructions how to order a proper certificate online.

13th, November 2017

Posted By: Abhishek

Sir, there was a mail from the domain broker, is this mail fraud or legal?

17th, October 2017

Posted By: Abhishek

Just like Mail Derrick has come to me, is this domain broker a liar or is it true?

17th, October 2017

Posted By: Simon

Yes, just had same exact email, but now with a tinyURL. And the buyer is Japanese this time. Luckily I have the mentality of "if it's too good to be true, it probably is".

13th, September 2017

Posted By: Derrick

Yep, same here.

"Commission of our company is only 5%. It's paid by the buyer.

He will send you money via AuthorizeNet Escrow. They may release the funds to you via Paypal, wire, check, Payeer, Advanced Cash and bitcoins.

The buyer offers a price in $15,000 - $30,000 range.

Do you have a certificate? It's required by his bank.

The final sale price will depend on the certificate.

If you don't have the certificate it's not a problem. You can order it online.

Please note he cannot accept it from any agency. He needs a manual service. It also must be a third party independent agency (not your broker our auction site) and must be accepted by his bank.

You can read about certification agencies at Google Answers: http://tinyurl.com/y9ememxu (I've made a short form of the long Google Answers link in TinyURL. “Domain Broker” is my nickname).

If buyer does not place a bid they provide full money back guarantee. I take care about my clients and suggest them only risk free service with full money back guarantee.

The process is very easy:

1. Go to the certificate agency site and order a certificate. The service recommended at Google Answers is accepted by the buyer's bank. It guarantees us a smooth and fast transaction.

If your name is not a premium one and cannot be valued in $XX,XXX range ($10,000 - $99,999) they won't send you the payment instructions. It's free to submit your domains for a review. You pay only if they guarantee appraisal in $XX,XXX range and higher. Other services charge you upfront even if your domain is not worth spending the appraisal fee.

2. Send the certificate to me and we will start the sale process the same day. He will buy your domain for the appraised value stated in your certificate.

If you are new to the certification process, I can help you with the step by step instructions.

31st, August 2017

Posted By: ugur

I've got exactly the same mail. Damn scammers.....

Below it is

The buyer is a well known Norwegian entrepreneur and businessman with interests in Internet, mobile phones, television, media, leisure and property.

He offers $12,000.

Do you have a certificate?

He needs this for accounting/tax purposes.

If you don't have it's not a problem. You can order it online.

As a professional, he cannot accept it from any agency. Only manual service is accepted.

The certificate must include the following:

1. Independent valuation of the market price. It will show your domain name is not overpriced. On the other hand if the valuation comes higher, he will increase the price accordingly. In the domain name industry, there are many appraisal tools that people use to estimate the value of a domain name. My client does not want to risk and doesn't accept services that use scripts. If you are unsure about some service feel free to ask me.

2. Trademark infringement verification. It proves your domain has no trademark problems. He would like this verification to be included in the appraisal report. It's not a problem because some companies include the TM verification for free.

I’m also interested in a good estimate of the market price because he pays me % on each sale.

You can read about certification agencies at http://archive.answers-google.org/answers/threadview/id/9126409.html (“Domain Broker” is my nickname).

The process is very easy:

1. Go to the certificate agency site and order a certificate. Just submit your domains and let them know you have a buyer with $XX,XXX offer. It will help you to get a better valuation.

2. Send it to me and we will start the sale process. As soon as he receives your certificate he will buy your domain via an escrow service. Any escrow service will be able to pay you via Paypal, Wire, Western Union or any other method you prefer.

He wants to ensure the safe delivery of the funds to you. Furthermore, since this is our first time conducting any business, I believe that using a third-party escrow service can provide a safe, well defined process.

If you are new to the certification process, I can help you with the step by step instructions.

8th, October 2015

Posted By: DeaG

He offers $12,000. Do you have a certificate? He needs this for accounting/tax purposes. If you don't have it's not a problem. You can order it online. Please note he cannot accept it from any agency. He needs a manual service. The certification must include the following: 1. Independent valuation of the market price. It will show your domain name is not overpriced. On the other hand if the valuation comes higher, he will increase the price accordingly. In the domain name industry, there are many appraisal tools that people use to estimate the value of a domain name. My client does not want to risk and doesn't accept services that use scripts. If you are unsure about some service feel free to ask me. 2. Trademark infringement verification. It proves your domain has no trademark problems. He would like this verification to be included in the appraisal report. It's not a problem because some companies include the TM verification for free. I’m also interested in a good estimate of the market price because he pays me % on each sale. You can read about certification agencies at [website]. The process is very easy: 1. Go to the certificate agency site and order a certificate. Just submit your domains and let them know you have a buyer with $XX,XXX offer. It will help you to get a better valuation. 2. Send it to me and we will start the sale process. As soon as he receives your certificate he will buy your domain via an escrow service. Any escrow service will be able to pay you via Paypal, Wire, Western Union or any other method you prefer. He wants to ensure the safe delivery of the funds to you. Furthermore, since this is our first time conducting any business, I believe that using a third-party escrow service can provide a safe, well defined process. If you are new to the certification process, I can help you with the step by step instructions.

24th, September 2015

Posted By: Satpal Singh

First mail: I got this mail below. Then, I replied and they offered $15000.

Please tell, is it scam?

Hello!

I'm a representative of a businessman who wants to purchase agriexams.com.

I located your contact information in a domain name whois lookup and understand that you own the domain name.

Are you still interested in selling?

I work for a hosting company based in UK.

I help our clients to buy and sell web sites and domains.

Do you have more domains? Can you send a list?

Are you an experienced seller?

Best Regards,

Edward Barrett

Vice President

123 REG UK

20th, September 2015

Posted By: Losmi

I received the same e-mail.

Always search the Internet before any purchase!!!!

7th, September 2015

Posted By: Michael Brown

Email below was supposedly from investor in Israel but cheesy domain below for ""cert-tools.org" is owned by Michael Brown in New Braunfels Texas at 830-230-4347 support@name-tools.net
What a dirt bag...
**************
My client can pay you a price in $17,000 - $19,000 range.

The exact figure will depend on the appraisal results (see below). Before we go further we need only one thing from you:

My client is a professional investor and he buys certified domains only.

If your domain has been certified, please email me the certificate and we will proceed with the sale. If you don’t have a certificate it’s not a problem. I may send you a link where you can obtain it. Please don’t worry. It takes 1-2 minutes to order it. The results will be sent to you within 24 hours. Then you send me the certificate via email and we’ll proceed with the sale

The certification includes the following:

1. Independent valuation of the market price. It will show your domain name is not overpriced. On the other hand if the valuation comes higher we will increase the price accordingly.

3. Verification of the owner. It proves you are a legitimate owner and your domain has no any obligations and restrictions. I’m sure that you are a legitimate owner so it will be only a formality.

As a middleman I’m very interested in a good valuation part of this certificate because my client pays me a commission (10-15% of the sale price) on every domain purchase. So I’m not interested in a low price too.

You can read about the certificate agency at http://www.answers-google.org/answers/threadview/id/184826.html (“Domain Broker” is my nickname).

The process is very easy:

1. Go to the certificate agency site and order a certificate. Just submit your domains and let them know you have a buyer with $XX,XXX offer and need a valuation near this value. After several hours you will get the results. If the price in your certificate comes higher we will increase our offer accordingly.

2. Then send these results via email and we’ll proceed with the deal.

If you are new to the certification process, I can help you with the step by step instructions.

28th, June 2015

Posted By: Uriel

Well, this scam has reached the safe shores of the Middle East too... :)
I have received the same letter, only from an Israeli e-mail address from someone who works on behalf of a "Turkish" investor....
This time the registration and appraisal costs 150 Euro... ;)

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